Dr. Debbie Rohwer
Chair, Division of Music Education
email: debbie.rohwer@unt.edu
Education:
B.M. - Northwestern University
M.M.E. - Eastman School of Music
Ph.D. - The Ohio State University
Area of Expertise:
Instrumental Music Education, Research
Debbie Rohwer serves as Professor and Chair of the Division of Music Education. She received her Bachelors degree at Northwestern University, her Master's degree at the Eastman School of Music, and her Ph.D. degree at the Ohio State University. Dr. Rohwer teaches the research and statistics courses, and pedagogy courses at the graduate level. In 1998, Dr. Rohwer founded the Denton New Horizons Senior Adult Beginning Band. She currently serves as conductor, administrator, and arranger for the band. In her research, Dr. Rohwer has concentrated on skill learning of musicians at various experience levels. She has been published in numerous research journals, and serves on state and international research review boards. Currently, Dr. Rohwer serves as the lead editor for Update: Applications of Research in Music Education and she assists as an Academic Affairs Fellow in the Office for Faculty Success at UNT. In 2016, Dr. Rohwer participated in the Women in Education Leadership program at Harvard University, and she also helps facilitate the Women's Faculty Network at UNT.
Current Editorial Board Service:
Update: Applications of Research in Music Education
International Journal of Community Music
Contributions to Music Education
Texas Music Education Research
Adult/Community Articles
(2013). Making music as an adult: What do the spouses think? Texas Music Education Research,
http://www.tmea.org/assets/pdf/research/Roh2013.pdf
(2013). Where will their lives take them: From the classroom to lifelong learning: Making
the ideal possible. Texas Choral Directors’ Association, Texas Sings, 30(3), 10-11.
(2013). Random or non-random thoughts: What senior adults think about within their ensemble
settings (co-authored with Mike Raiber and Don Coffman).
International Journal of Community Music, 5(3), 289-302.
(2013). Community music through authentic engagement section in the Rowman & Littlefield book,
Community Music Today.
(2012). How male choristers envision community in Welsh men’s choirs (co-authored with
Mark Rohwer. Research and Issues in Music Education, 10(1),
http://www.stthomas.edu/rimeonline/vol10/rohwer.htm.
(2012). Going to the source: Pedagogical ideas from adult band members.
Journal of Band Research, 48(1), 45-57.
(2011). Church music as an education enterprise: Lessons to learn. Texas Music
Education Research, http://www.tmea.org/assets/pdf/research/Roh2011.pdf
(2011). Community music as a part of higher education: Decisions from a department
chair/researcher. International Journal of Community Music, 4(2), 121-131.
(2010). Church musicians’ perceptions of music as a lifelong learning activity. Research and
Issues in Music Education, 8(1), http://www.stthomas.edu/rimeonline/vol8/Rohwer.htm
(2010). High school students’ perceptions of their future music participation. Research
Perspectives in Music Education, 14, (online, with Mark Rohwer).
(2010). Adult music non-participants’ thoughts of music as a leisure activity: The pitfalls in
wanting to know. International Journal of Community Music, 3, 203-212.
(2010). Community music and school music: Building bridges. Texas Music Educators
Conference: Connections, 25(2), 14, 16-17.
(2010). Intergenerational music experiences: Young dogs and old dogs both learning new tricks.
Making Music (March/April edition, p. 5).
(2009). Non-Caucasian adult band musicians’ perceptions on music participation. Texas Music
Education Research, http://www.tmea.org/assets/pdf/research/Roh2009.pdf
(2009). A content analysis of choral students' participation perceptions: Implications for
lifelong learning (with Mark Rohwer), International Journal of Community Music, 2,
255-262.
(2009). Perceived instructional needs and desires of 8th grade and senior citizen band members.
Journal of Music Teacher Education, 18(2), 1-12.
(2009). Adult musicians’ perceived and measured breathing ability. Medical Problems of
Performing Artists, 24(1), 10-14.
(2008). Adult band musicians’ health and wellness issues. Medical Problems of Performing
Artists, 23, 56-50, and Proceedings of the IX International Symposium, ISSN 1942-
9746, 111-121.
(2006). Relationships between wind band membership, activity level, spirituality and
quality of life in older adults (co-authored with Don Coffman),
Research Perspectives in Music Education, 10, 22-27.
(2005). A case study of adult beginning instrumental practice.
Contributions to Music Education, 32(1), 45-58.
(2005). Teaching the adult beginning instrumentalist: Ideas from practitioners.
International Journal of Music Education, 23(1), 37-47.
(2005). Musical expression behaviors of senior citizen musicians. Journal of Band
Research, 40(2), 84-95.
(2004). The effect of method book content on adult instrumental musicians’ reported
preference and musical understanding. Texas Music Education Research,
http://www.tmea.org/assets/pdf/research/Roh2004.pdf
Music Education Articles
(2015). Comments from the editor (November). Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 34(1), 1–2. doi:10.1177/8755123315605512.
(2015). Measuring student music growth with blind-reviewed portfolios: A pilot study (co-authored with Kelly
Parkes and Dru Davison). Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 203, 23–44.
(2015). Comments from the editor (May). Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 33(2), 3–4.
doi:10.1177/8755123315583279
(2014). Perceived value of research preparation opportunities for future music education professors (co-authored
with Christina Svec). Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 33(1), 57-64,
doi:10.1177/8755123314540666
(2014). Comments from the editor. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 33(1), 3-4
doi:10.1177/8755123314547032
(2014). Score study practices of Texas high school choir directors (co-authored with Jordan Moore and Michelle
Herring). Texas Music Education Research.
(2014). Relationship beween movement and performance achievement of high school choral musicians
(co-authored with Mark Rohwer). Texas Music Education Research.
(2012). Predicting undergraduate music education majors’ collegiate achievement.
Texas Music Education Research, http://www.tmea.org/assets/pdf/research/Roh2012.pdf
(2010). Cooperating teachers' perceptions of student teacher needs. Texas Music Education
Research, http://www.tmea.org/assets/pdf/research/Roh2010.pdf
(2008). Feedback: The elixir of learning. Texas Sings, 24(2), 4-5.
(2007). Teacher! Help me! What do I need to know?: A guide to preparing for college.
Southwestern Musician, 36, 39, 41, 43, 45.
(2006). The effects of private voice instruction and summer choir camp attendance on high-school students’
honor choir audition scores (co-authored with Mark Rohwer),Texas Music Education Research,
http://www.tmea.org/assets/pdf/research/Roh2006.pdf.
(2006). Practice behaviors of eighth-grade instrumental musicians (with Jeremy Polk,
UNT). Journal of Research in Music Education, 54, 350-362.
(2004). Requisite skills and characteristics for effective music teaching. Journal of
Music Teacher Education, 13, 18-27.
(2002). Practice behaviors of high-, middle-, and low-ranked high school auditioners.
Music Education International, 1, 15-25.
(2001). Instrumental music students’ cognitive and performance understanding
of musical expression. Journal of Band Research, 37(1), 17-28.
(2000). Steadiness in instrumental performance: A study of tapping, tempo, and
grade. Journal of Band Research, 36(1), 65-76.
(2000). Efficacy of psychomotor, vocalization, and cognitive strategies on beginning
instrumentalists’ abilities to play by ear. Research Perspectives in Music
Education, 15-19, co-authored with Judith Delzell.
(1999). Playing by ear: A study of melodic pattern difficulty, effects of performance
experience and instrument family, and relationship between aptitude and ability
to play by ear - co-authored with Judith Delzell and Diane Ballard. Journal of
Research in Music Education, 47, 53-63.
(1998). Effect of movement instruction on steady beat perception, synchronization, and
performance. Journal of Research in Music Education, 46, 414-424.